I'm sure that all those haters will elect JP to his new job of PCC next week.

Sadly being in East Riding I have to accept that he's going to get the job. I've voted (by post so done already) for an independent who actually has experience in what I feel is a relevant area (ie policing and NOT politics).

My fear is the PCC is just going to be another political job for the boys. I see no evidence to the contrary so far.

Sadly being in East Riding I have to accept that he's going to get the job. I've voted (by post so done already) for an independent who actually has experience in what I feel is a relevant area (ie policing and NOT politics).

My fear is the PCC is just going to be another political job for the boys. I see no evidence to the contrary so far.

I can't see how the PCCs will work, any 'independent' who has been involved with policing is next door to useless as they'll be in with the boys in blue already (IMO, I accept other POVs are available) and any party politico will just be using it for their own and their party's barnstorming. Utter nonsense. WTF do I know about policing in Slough - but I get to vote for a commissioner who'll be running it?

Sadly being in East Riding I have to accept that he's going to get the job. I've voted (by post so done already) for an independent who actually has experience in what I feel is a relevant area (ie policing and NOT politics).

My fear is the PCC is just going to be another political job for the boys. I see no evidence to the contrary so far.

I've voted the same way for the same reasons (yes, I've already voted, I have a postal vote because I work away from home so often). Our local independent is aformer Police Authority member who is a university lecturer in law. In other words, someone who knows what the job is about.

"it is a well known fact that those people who most want to rule people are, ipso facto, those least suited to do it."

I can't see how the PCCs will work, any 'independent' who has been involved with policing is next door to useless as they'll be in with the boys in blue already (IMO, I accept other POVs are available) and any party politico will just be using it for their own and their party's barnstorming. Utter nonsense. WTF do I know about policing in Slough - but I get to vote for a commissioner who'll be running it?

I agree with all of that... maybe its just personal but I feel the independent who is in with the boys in blue already will do a slightly better job than someone scoring points for their political party... that might be just how disillusioned I am by the whole thing though.

I agree with all of that... maybe its just personal but I feel the independent who is in with the boys in blue already will do a slightly better job than someone scoring points for their political party... that might be just how disillusioned I am by the whole thing though.

I think we have three independents on the ballot. If I vote, and I haven't yet decided if I will, I'm going to pick one of them at random.

I am not voting this time. I think the whole idea is a waste of time and (more importantly) money, especially when the government are cutting back on so many things.
Is this the justification for cutting back so many fire stations (again)?

Swinton RLFC est 1866 - Supplying England with players when most of your clubs were in nappies

I also think this is a massive waste of time and don't agree one bit with the politicisation of the police force. Don't want to "waste" my vote though, so thinking of spoiling my ballot for the first time ever. I know it'll do no good, but it'll make me feel better

For the life of me, I can't see why this ballot is being held, at great cost and with little public interest, as a single entity. It should have been held over for voting on the same day as the next local council elections.

A waste of time and money. At the moment my police authority is made up of nine county councillors who are appointed in proportion to the number of seats held by each political party, and eight independant members who are from 'the community'. They are the ones who appoint chief constables and 'guide' the way they want 'their' police to act. To have one man in charge, most probably with a political bias or agenda seems wrong In my county, to replace the PA we have 4 candidates, one tory, one labour, one lib dem and one ukip - no independents or 'man of the people types', they are all serving politicians.

Talking to our local Pc about it, he says the police are worried about the politicalisation of the process and points to the USA where in many states and counties local politicians appoint the chief of police who has to 'obey' his political master or he's out. They are worried the same thing would creep in here.

I also think this is a massive waste of time and don't agree one bit with the politicisation of the police force. Don't want to "waste" my vote though, so thinking of spoiling my ballot for the first time ever. I know it'll do no good, but it'll make me feel better

Same here.

I haven't heard from any of the candidates, I don't even know their names, so it is impossible to make a sensible decision about which one of them to vote for. Whoever 'wins' these elections, they'll have no real legitimacy IMO.

I can't see how the PCCs will work, any 'independent' who has been involved with policing is next door to useless as they'll be in with the boys in blue already (IMO, I accept other POVs are available) and any party politico will just be using it for their own and their party's barnstorming. Utter nonsense. WTF do I know about policing in Slough - but I get to vote for a commissioner who'll be running it?

To be honest the average voter doesn't have a clue about foreign policy or macroeconomics but they still get a vote in elections.

To be honest the average voter doesn't have a clue about foreign policy or macroeconomics but they still get a vote in elections.

I take the point but in defence of representative democracy I'd say that your MP is also meant to stand and address concerns that you will have. So they should have a position that will impact your local hospital that you can agree with or not, they may have certain views on the importance of sorting out the wording of gay marriage and so on. You don't need to know or agree with everything to get the point. Also, they are, at best one loud voice amongst 600 braying equivalents.

The police commissioner is, so far as I understand it, the sole guvnor for local policing. And I don't know about policing - and 'local' brings together areas that have little in common.

Blatant attempt by the Tories to get political control of the police knowing full well that it is their 'law and order' voters who are most likely to turn out.

They want a hang 'em flog 'em, bang anybody up no questions asked police force and expect it to be followed up with American style judges who can bring in their own punishments for the local police czars invented crimes.